Captain Juzo Okita (沖田 十三, Okita Jūzō) (Captain Abraham Avatar) : the stern captain of the Yamato, utterly devoted to his mission to save Earth from the Gamilas threat, even at the cost of his own life. He is in fact dying, and becomes increasingly ill during the course of the first season, but remains convinced that he will live to see his home world again. He regards Susumu Kodai almost as a replacement for the son he lost in battle, and sorely regrets his son's death in battle at Pluto, along with the apparent death of Kodai's older brother, Mamoru. Even when his illness leaves him bedridden, he remains a source of advice to the crew, and to Kodai in particular. In the movie Final Yamato, it is revealed that he was kept in cryogenic suspension for some time until the Earth physicians could revive him and cure his sickness. He then went on to lead the Star Force again in its fight against the Deingillians. In the English edition, it was revealed that he was revived from death by residual energy from the Cosmo DNA's cleansing of Earth, but was bereft of nearly all of his memories as a result. He was kept in hiding by Doctor Sane until later in the series. In Final Yamato it became partially true, as he was shown to be held into a cryogenic sleep to be cured from his otherwise fatal disease.
Japanese voice artist: Gorō Naya (original), Takayuki Sugō (2199)
American voice artist: Gordon Ramsey
Live-action actor: Tsutomu Yamazaki
Susumu Kodai (古代 進, Kodai Susumu) (Derek Wildstar, also known as Jason Kodai in the English dub of the first Yamato movie) : a young orphan, it was the death of his parents during a Gamilas planet bomb attack on the Miura Peninsula that drove him to follow in his older brother Mamoru's footsteps and join the Earth Defense Force. He is initially hot-headed and prone to bursts of anger, and at first blames Captain Okita for the death of his brother in battle. However, he matures during the first season thanks to his responsibility as the Yamato 's battle chief, and ultimately Okita nominates him acting captain when he is unable to continue. Kodai continues commanding the Yamato and its crew for most of the rest of the franchise (although he is not formally promoted to captain until Yamato III), only relinquishing command twice: to Yamanami in Be Forever Yamato, and to a revived Okita during Final Yamato. He is also a talented pilot, flying his own Cosmo Zero fighter as the leader of the Black Tigers, and in the second season frequently joining the Cosmo Tigers in battle. His Japanese given name means "to go forward, to improve". In the 2010 live-action film, his story begins as a scavenger who left the Earth Defense Force five years prior. He blamed himself for redirecting a Gamilas bomb toward a space station, killing his parents and Daisuke Shima's wife. He re-enlists prior to the launching of the Yamato as the ship's gunner before eventually being promoted by Okita as acting captain. Though the Yamato succeeds in retrieving the means to restore Earth's surface, the remaining Gamilas ship cripples it before preparing a missile to destroy the planet. After ordering all surviving crew to abandon ship, Kodai sacrifices himself and the ship to destroy the missile and save Earth.
Japanese voice artist: Kei Tomiyama, Kōichi Yamadera (PlayStation 2 games, Rebirth), Daisuke Ono (2199)
American voice artist: Kenneth Meseroll (seasons 1 & 2), John Bellucci (season 3)
Live-action actor: Takuya Kimura
Mamoru Kodai (古代 守, Kodai Mamoru) (Alex Wildstar) : the older Kodai/Wildstar brother and captain of Missile Ship 17, the Yukikaze (Paladin in Star Blazers), Mamoru appears to die in the first episode while holding off enemies so Okita's stricken flagship may escape the battlefield. In the original, Mamoru was insisting he could not face the souls of his dead comrades if he fled whereas in Star Blazers he dies for the sole purpose of providing cover for Okita's ship. In fact, it emerged his ship had crash-landed—in one piece—on Titan, and he had been captured alive by the Gamilas, but the ship in which he was a prisoner crashed on Iscandar, where Queen Starsha healed him. He fell in love with his rescuer and decided to stay on Iscandar, fathering a daughter named Sasha. His Japanese given name means "to protect". He sacrificed his life in Be Forever, Yamato in order to save Admiral Heikuro Todo from execution.
The character of Mamoru Kodai was originally planned to have appeared midway through the series as a scarred space pirate under the guise of Captain Harlock. When the series' episode count was cut, these plans had to be scrapped and his storyline was quickly wrapped up with his appearance on Iscandar. However, this space pirate angle still remains in Leiji Matsumoto's Space Battleship Yamato manga.
Japanese voice artist: Taichirō Hirokawa (Original), Mitsuru Miyamoto (2199)
Live-action actor: Shinichi Tsutsumi
Yuki Mori (森 雪, Mori Yuki) (Nova Forrester): initially Dr. Sado's nurse, Yuki gained the additional responsibilities aboard Yamato of operating the radar, performing computer calculations, taking care of the crew's morale and searching planets for food sources. She is from the outset attracted to Susumu, but conceals her true feelings with girlish glee. As the only significant female crew member, she was occasionally the subject of fan service in the form of skirt-flippings administered by the robot Analyzer, but only in early episodes before the tone of the series becomes generally more serious. Her Japanese name means "forest snow", creator Matsumoto being fond of female characters with "Yuki" (snow) as part of their name. In the 2010 live-action film, Yuki is the Earth Defense Force's ace pilot who initially is at odds with Susumu, even after he saves her when debris from a destroyed Gamilas ship cripples her Cosmo Tiger fighter and ruptures her oxygen supply. Upon arriving at Iscandar/Gamilas, her body becomes the host of Iscandar's power to restore Earth's atmosphere.
Japanese voice artist: Yōko Asagami, Noriko Yume (Yamato Rebirth), Houko Kuwashima (2199)
American voice artist: Amy Howard Wilson (seasons 1 & 2), Corinne Orr (season 3)
Live-action actress: Meisa Kuroki
Daisuke Shima (島 大介, Shima Daisuke) (Mark Venture, also known as Shane O'Toole in the English dub of the first Yamato movie) : a quieter and more level-headed complement to his best friend Kodai, Shima becomes chief navigator and helmsman of the Yamato. He suffers from a lack of self-confidence in his ability to control the mighty vessel, despite skillfully saving it on many occasions. Shima and Kodai have frequent arguments in the first series, some of which escalated into physical brawls, but the end results only made their friendship stronger. In the second season, he falls in love with Teresa (Trelaina) of Telezart by interstellar radio, and is heartbroken when she elects to remain on her world in the face of the Comet Empire, though he vows to carry on the fight in her name. He was blown into space by Gamilas troops but was rescued and revived by Teresa. He loses his life in the line of duty in Final Yamato. In the 2010 live-action film, Shima is a widower, having lost his pregnant wife in the first year of the war after a Gamilas missile destroyed the space station where she had lived. Their son was saved, but was rendered mute.
Japanese voice artist: Shūsei Nakamura, Isao Sasaki (Final Yamato), Hideyuki Tanaka (PlayStation 2 games), Kenichi Suzumura (2199)
American voice artist: Tom Tweedy (seasons 1 & 2), Peter Fernandez (season 3)
Live-action actor: Naoto Ogata
Jiro Shima (島 次郎, Shima Jirō) (Jordy Venture) : Shima's pre-pubescent younger brother who remains on Earth during the series. He remains confident in the ability of Yamato to save the world, particularly with his older brother at the helm, and even in the face of public doubt. His Japanese given name means "second son".
Japanese voice artist: Junko Sakata (season 1), Noriko Ohara (season 2), Chika Sakamoto (Final), Ryōtarō Okiayu (Rebirth)
Shiro Sanada (真田志郎, Sanada Shirō) (Stephen Sandor) : the science officer aboard Yamato, Sanada is earnest and dedicated, his ideas frequently saving the ship from destruction. His limbs are bionic, the result of a childhood accident which claimed the life of his sister and left him bitterly resentful of science's arrogance. He was a classmate of Mamoru Kodai, and blames himself for not having repaired the Yukikaze properly before it went into battle. When Susumu Kodai becomes acting captain, Sanada is frequently a source of advice. Sanada is the elder spokesperson for the crew after the deaths of Okita and Engineer Tokugawa. In the 2010 live-action film, Sanada sacrifices his life while detonating a bomb that destroys the Gamilas power supply on the planet Iscandar/Gamilus. In the new anime, Space Battleship Yamato 2199, Sanada is often seen with an anthology of Chūya Nakahara's poems. The "bionic limbs" subplot also seems to have been dropped.
Japanese voice artist: Takeshi Aono (Original), Hōchū Ōtsuka (2199)
Live-action actor: Toshirō Yanagiba
Dr. Sakezo Sado (佐渡酒造, Sado Sakezō) (Dr. Sane) : the most humorously drawn character in the series, Dr. Sado is frequently a source of comic relief, usually through pratfalls resulting from his love of Japanese wine (sake). Though originally a vet (albeit an unsuccessful one), he becomes the ship's surgeon. He is good humored and always willing to give advice, but he can become deadly earnest when chiding others' behavior. His Japanese given name is written with the same kanji as the word shuzo ("sake brewing"), though his drinking habits were significantly toned down for Star Blazers, his sake given as spring water or soy milk. For the 2010 live-action film, Dr. Sado is rewritten as a female character who only occasionally drinks sake.
Japanese voice artist: Ichirō Nagai (original), Shigeru Chiba (2199)
American voice artist: Frank Pita
Live-action actress: Reiko Takashima
Mi-kun (ミーくん, Mī-kun) (Mimi): Dr. Sado's pet cat, apparently the closest he has to family. Left behind on Earth during the first season, he is brought aboard the Yamato in the second season. He is based on Leiji Matsumoto's own cat Mī-kun. Note that in Star Blazers Mimi is female. Mi-kun has also appeared in other Leijiverse stories such as Captain Harlock where he was Doctor Zero's cat.
Japanese voice artist: Kōichi Yamadera (PlayStation games)
Analyzer (アナライザー, Anaraizā) (IQ-9): a squat, human-sized robot who originally worked in the EDF's hospital, Analyzer joins the Yamato crew on his own request, believing it to be the only place he can truly prove himself. He is capable of extending his arms, separating into independently moving pieces, lifting and throwing enemy tanks, withstanding forcefields and sensing various forms of energy, but is unable to restrain himself from sexually harassing Yuki on several occasions (not shown in Star Blazers). He is in fact in love with her, but when she proves unable to return his affections, he settles for friendship. Something of a wisecracker, he frequently forms a double-act with Dr. Sado. He is also capable of becoming intoxicated, narrowly avoiding disaster on one occasion (though in Star Blazers he states that he has programmed himself to emulate human hiccups). In the 2010 live-action film, Analyzer is Susumu's robot assistant in a smartphone-like device carried by the latter. His physical body is stored in Susumu's Cosmo Zero unit, and is deployed in combat during the raid of Iscandar/Gamilas. Analyzer is ultimately destroyed by the overwhelming number of Gamilas troops.
Japanese voice artist: Ken'ichi Ogata (original), Chō (2199)
Chief Hikozaemon Tokugawa (徳川彦左衛門, Tokugawa Hikozaemon) (Chief Patrick Orion) : the middle-aged, balding chief engineer aboard Yamato and an old comrade of Okita. He left behind a grandchild on Earth of whom he is extremely fond. Determined to remain at his post no matter what happens, he suffocates in the last episode of the second season as the engine room fills with fumes. His death was not shown in Star Blazers. In the 2010 live-action film, he is killed during the attack by Dessler's ship upon the Yamato's arrival near Earth.
Japanese voice artist: Ichirō Nagai (original), Mugihito (2199)
American voice artist: Gordon Ramsay
Live-action actor: Toshiyuki Nishida
Sukeharu Yabu (薮助治, Yabu Sukeharu) (Travis Sparks) : Tokugawa's portly assistant engineer. He believes the Yamato is doomed to fail in its mission to save Earth, and thus decides that humanity should make a new home on Iscandar; to this end he and nine other mutineers kidnap Yuki (their "Eve") and hide on a crystal island. However, a tsunami and volcanic eruption destroy the island and kill the mutineers, though Yuki is rescued. His death and the deaths of the other mutineers is not shown in Star Blazers, but indicated from later dialogue.
Japanese voice artist: Michihiro Ikemizu (episode 14), Ken'ichi Ogata (episode 25)
Yoshikazu/Giichi Aihara (相原義一, Aihara Yoshikazu/Giichi) (Homer Glitchman) : chief communications officer, Aihara becomes homesick for his native Kitakami, Iwate during the journey to Iscandar after discovering his father on Earth was dying. In his madness, he steals a spacesuit and attempts to float home before being rescued by his comrades. Note that in Japanese, the kanji for his given name can be read in two ways; the reading "Yoshikazu" is used in episode 10 of the first season, but (owing to an error) he gives his name as "Giichi" in the third season. For the 2010 live-action film, Aihara is rewritten as a female character.
Japanese voice artist: Shinji Nomura (original), Masato Kokubun (2199)
American voice artist: Michael Bertolini
Live-action actress: Maiko
Yasuo Nanbu (南部康雄, Nanbu Yasuo) (Dash) : bespectacled sub-chief of ship's defenses, operating the gun turrets in Kodai's absence, in 2199 he falls in love with Yuki, however is disappointed when he finds Kodai speaking to her instead.
Japanese voice artist: Kazuo Hayashi (original), Kenji Akabane (2199)
American voice artist: Eddie Allen
Live-action actor: Toshihiro Yashiba
Kenjiro Ohta (太田健二郎, Ōta Kenjirō) (Christopher Eager) : portly, freckled radar operator, frequently heard identifying missile attacks on the Yamato.
Japanese voice artist: Yoshito Yasuhara, Hirotaka Suzuoki (season 3), Yuuki Chiba (2199)
Live-action actor: Kensuke Ōwada
Saburo Kato (加藤三郎, Katō Saburō) (Peter 'Pete' Conroy) : the leader of the Black Tiger fighter squadron (second in authority to Kodai), Kato is a gifted though level-headed pilot, often putting his life on the line for his comrades. In the second season he is leader of the first squadron of the Cosmo Tigers, piloting a later model of fighter craft and stationed on the Moon; he and his men volunteer to join the Yamato under Kodai's command. He dies flying Kodai and Sanada back to the Yamato safely; however, this was covered up in Star Blazers, and indeed the original Japanese makers appeared to regret killing the character, as they later introduced his identical twin.
Japanese voice actor: Akira Kamiya, Keaton Yamada (eps 8-10 only), Yoshimasa Hosoya (2199)
Live-action actor: Kazuki Namioka
Akira Yamamoto (山本明, Yamamoto Akira) (Jefferson Davis Hardy): one of the Black Tiger pilots, recognizable by the lock of hair covering his eyes, Yamamoto has only one appearance in the first season, in which his fighter is shot down just before the Yamato undergoes a major warp speed test. Almost left behind, he is waved into the hangar by Kodai, and is injured in a crash-landing. He has a more significant presence in the second season, as commander of the Cosmo Tigers' second squadron; his plane is also stolen by the space marine Saito, who towers over him. He is killed in the final attack on the Comet Empire when his plane is shot down and crashes (not shown in Star Blazers). In 2199, Yamamoto is seen as a female fighter pilot with a brother who was KIA. Yamamoto has more appearances fighting alongside Kodai in a Cosmo Zero (Alpha 2). In Star Blazers he was given a southern United States accent, and in his single first season appearance, he was mistakenly referred to as Conroy.
Japanese voice artist: Kazuyuki Sogabe
Live-action actor: Takumi Saito
Admiral Heikuro Todo (藤堂平九郎, Tōdō Heikurō) (Earth Commander Charles Singleton) : mustached leader of the Earth Defense Force, who in the first season sends the Yamato on its voyage to Iscandar to save the world, and reports to it via long-distance communication. In the second season, he attempts to stop Kodai and the other crew from stealing the Yamato, but becomes convinced by their faith that he must let them go, as they are "Okita's children". His Japanese name is believed to come either from Tōdō Heisuke of the Shinsengumi, or Admiral Heihachiro Togo.
Japanese voice artist: Masatō Ibu (original), Shinji Ogawa (2199)
Live-action actor: Isao Hashizume
Cook Kaoru Shintani (新谷かおる, Shintani Kaoru) - (Mel "Slops" Mulligan) Chief Cook of the Yamato Galley. He tells Captain Okita to get out of the kitchen in episode 10. Based on Leiji Matsumoto's assistant Kaoru Shintani who eventually became a manga artist and creator of Area 88. Matsumoto would more directly base another character on Shintani in the form of Yattaran from the Captain Harlock series.
Japanese voice artist: Akira Kimura
Akira Nemoto (根本明, Nemoto Akira) - (Frederick Lance) One of the Yamato's Commandos, he accompanies Kodai on the mission to destroy the Reflection Satellite Gun on Pluto. He is electrocuted when he steps into an electrified corridor. His death was covered up in Star Blazers, and his survival is further implied by an off-hand reference to "Lance" in a subsequent episode.
Kazuhiko Sugiyama (杉山和彦, Sugiyama Kazuhiko) - (Harold Kato) Another commando on the mission to destroy the Reflection Satellite Gun on Pluto, he is shot by guards protecting the gun. His death was edited out of Star Blazers.
Shigeru Hayashi (林繁, Hayashi Shigeru) - (Merrill Ryder) A member of the Navigation Group, he is seen on the 2nd Bridge during the coffee break in episode 15.
Captain Ryu Hijikata (土方竜, Hijikata Ryū) (Captain Draco Gideon) : a famous captain whose battle tactics are legendary, and is given command of the new super-battleship Andromeda. Kodai comes to his attention when the Yamato refuses to give way to the larger ship; initially dismissing the acting captain as an upstart, he is charged with preventing Kodai from stealing the Yamato, but the younger man's confidence inspires him to let him leave. Hijikata later leads the EDF's battle against the Comet Empire's fleet, and it is only his inspired thinking that defeats them. He is ultimately killed battling against the Comet Empire's space station, Gatlantis, when he rams the Andromeda into it in order to give the Yamato time to escape. Before he does so, he tells Kodai Gatlantis' weak point is its lower hemisphere. In the alternate version of the story presented in Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato, Hijikata is the captain of a crippled spaceship at the edge of the Solar System who assumes command of the Yamato when rescued, but dies during the battle against the Comet Empire.
Japanese voice artist: Akira Kimura
Kotetsu Serizawa (芹沢虎鉄, Serizawa Kotetsu) (General Stone) Staff officer at EDF HQ under the command of Heikuro Todo. He is enraged by the Yamato crew's insubordination and uses every tool at his disposal to stop the Yamato from leaving Earth for Telezart. This includes using magnetic missiles and the Battle Satellite.
Japanese voice artist: Mahito Tsumura
Company Commander Hajime Saito (斎藤始, Saitō Hajime) (Sergeant Webb Knox): the commander of the Space Cavalry (空間騎兵隊 Kūkan Kiheitai) 1st Armored Division stationed on Planet 11, rescued by the Yamato after a fierce Comet Empire attack. Uncouth and belligerent, he and his men refuse to respect the crew of their new home and frequently get into fights, frustrated at their reduced role as "passengers". However, on the surface of planet Telezart, inside Desler's flagship and within the Comet Empire's own space station, Saito and his men prove their worth in ground combat. Saito is the last surviving member of the team, and sacrifices himself to detonate explosives in the Comet Empire's power centre (though in Star Blazers it was indicated that he escaped). In the 2010 live-action film, Saito is briefly possessed by Dessler, who uses his body to tell the Yamato crew of the Gamilus true motives of bombarding Earth. Saito wears a Hachiman amulet, as his mother believes it will shield him from physical harm. Ultimately, he is killed while covering for Sanada during the raid of Iscandar/Gamilus.
Japanese voice artist: Isao Sasaki
American voice artist: Chris Latta
Live-action actor: Hiroyuki Ikeuchi
Hyōgo Tōdō (藤堂兵吾, Tōdō Hyōgo) (Corporal Kane): Second-in-Command of the Space Marines. He was likely killed inside the White Comet Gatlantis in the final battle.
Japanese voice artist: Toshihiko Kojima
Jirō Tsurumi (鶴見二郎, Tsurumi Jirō): Cosmo Tiger 3rd Squadron commander. Tsurumi got little screen time. His fate is unknown, but he was likely killed in the final battle with the Comet Empire with the other Cosmo Tigers.
Japanese voice artist: Shigeru Chiba
Yasuhiko Yamada (山田安彦, Yamada Yasuhiko) (William Peale): Yamato's interrogator. He tortured Mazor in a futile attempt at extracting intelligence from him.
Japanese voice artist: Rokurō Naya
Hyota Arakome (新米俵太, Arakome Hyōta) (Neville Q. Royster): an extremely nerdy (and comically drawn) scientist cadet, addressed by all but Kodai—including his superior officer and senpai Sanada—as shinmai (meaning "newbie" or "boot", but also being a different reading of the kanji in his family name). Despite his clumsiness, he proves his worth as a scientist and engineer, and in one episode comes up with an idea to use the wave motion gun as propulsion to save the ship that even Sanada did not think of. He is killed in the final battle against the Comet Empire shortly after locating Gatlantis's power centre (not shown in Star Blazers).
Japanese voice artist: Yūji Mitsuya
Tasuke Tokugawa (徳川太助, Tokugawa Tasuke) (Orion) : son of the late Chief Tokugawa, he is a cadet training to follow in his father's footsteps. He later becomes Yamazaki's assistant engineer aboard the Yamato and is the Chief Engineer in Yamato Rebirth.
Japanese voice artist: Tōru Furuya
Sho Yamazaki (山崎奨, Yamazaki Shō) ("Chief") : chief engineer aboard the Yamato from Yamato: The New Voyage until Final Yamato.
Japanese voice artist: Mikio Terashima
Shigeru Sakamoto (坂本茂, Sakamoto Shigeru): an ace fighter pilot who joins the training mission. A born hot-dogger, his stunts earn him a slap in the face from acting captain Kodai. He is not seen again after The New Voyage, although he does appear in the PlayStation 2 games.
Japanese voice artist: Toshio Furukawa
Tetsuya Kitano (北野哲也, Kitano Tetsuya) : a trainee navigator, he is put in charge of ship's weapons during a battle simulation, but when he panics and fires too soon, he nearly destroys the fighter squadron. He is later punished along with Sakamoto to run a lap in the ship with only underwear on. He is not seen again after The New Voyage, although he does appear in the PlayStation 2 games.
Japanese voice artist: Makio Inoue
Captain Osamu Yamanami (山南修, Yamanami Osamu) : 2nd captain of the Yamato, and a former colleague of Okita and Hijikata.
Japanese voice artist: Osamu Kobayashi
Shiro Kato (加藤四郎, Katō Shirō) (Cory Conroy) : Cosmo Tiger pilot and younger brother of the late Saburo Kato.
Japanese voice actor: Akira Kamiya
Sasha Kodai (古代サーシャ, Kodai Sāsha): introduced as Sanada's niece Mio Sanada (真田澪, Sanada Mio), she substitutes for Yuki aboard the Yamato. It emerges that she is actually the half-human daughter of Mamoru Kodai and Starsha, and like all Iscandarians has grown into the equivalent of a human teenager in the space of a year.
Japanese voice artist: Keiko Han
Ryusuke Domon (土門竜介, Domon Ryūsuke) (Jason Jetter): A new recruit assigned to the Kitchen. Originally resentful of his position, he quickly learns to accept it. A focal character in Series 3, he often becomes involved in missions outside of his kitchen duty.
Japanese voice artist: Hideyuki Tanaka
Takeshi Ageha (揚羽武, Ageha Takeshi) (Takeshi "Flash" Michael Contrail): A new member of the Cosmo Tigers. His father did not support his decision to become a pilot, but allowed him to remain with the Yamato at his wife's insistence.
Japanese voice artist: Toshio Furukawa
Hajime Hirata (平田一, Hirata Hajime) (Alan Hardy) : A veteran member of the Kitchen crew, he serves as a mentor to new recruit Domon. He is killed in the Yamato's first battle against the Galmans when the ship is infiltrated by enemy soldiers.
Japanese voice artist: Kazuyuki Sogabe
Namio Sakamaki (坂巻浪夫, Sakamaki Namio): Yamato 1st Cannon Gunner; very short.
Japanese voice artist: Shigeru Chiba
Goro Raiden (雷電五郎, Raiden Gorō) (Goro "Buster" Block): A very tall, hulking member of the Navigation group.
Japanese voice artist: Shingo Kanemoto
Heiji Bando (坂東平次, Bandō Heiji) (Heiji "Beaver" Bando): A new recruit assigned to the Science group.
Japanese voice artist: Kaneto Shiozawa
Dairoku Akagi (赤城大六, Akagi Dairoku) (Ace "Toughy" Diamond): Works in Engine Room. Former space trucker.
Japanese voice artist: Daiki Takayama
Haruo Nishino (仁科春夫, Nishina Haruo) (Ben "String" Bean): A 1st Cannon gunner. He is a friend of fellow gunner Sakamaki.
Japanese voice artist: Akira Murayama
Tsutomu Makunouchi (幕之内勉, Makunouchi Tsutomu) (Tsutumu "Whizzer" Makunouchi): A husky, bespectacled member of the Kitchen crew.
Japanese voice artist: Satoru Inagaki
Akiko Todo (藤堂晶子, Tōdō Akiko) (Wendy Singleton): Granddaughter of Heikuro Todo and works as his secretary. Has a mutual attraction with Aihara.
Japanese voice artist: Kazuko Sugiyama
Susumu Kodai (古代 進, Kodai Susumu): Kodai is the captain of a cargo vessel. When two Emigration Fleets are destroyed and his wife Yuki is presumed killed by an unknown new enemy, he takes command of the newly rebuilt Yamato.
Japanese voice artist: Kōichi Yamadera
Yuki Mori (森 雪, Mori Yuki): Yuki is now the captain of an escort battleship with the First Emigration Fleet, presumed lost in action.
Japanese voice artist: Noriko Yume
Miyuki Kodai (古代美雪, Kodai Miyuki): Daughter of Susumu Kodai and Yuki Mori. She is Dr. Sado's veterinary assistant, and has grown distant from her father due to his never being home.
Japanese voice artist: Ayumi Fujimura
Shiro Sanada (真田志郎, Sanada Shirō): Secretary of Science for the Earth Federation, former Science Officer of the Yamato.
Japanese voice artist: Takeshi Aono
Jiro Shima (島 次郎, Shima Jirō): Head of the Earth Federation's Migration Fleet.
Japanese voice artist: Ryōtarō Okiayu
Dr. Sakezo Sado (佐渡酒造, Sado Sakezō): Head of a Safari Park in Africa. Stays on Earth rather than joining the crew.
Japanese voice artist: Ichirō Nagai
Analyzer (アナライザー, Anaraizā): Dr. Sado's assistant at the Safari Park.
Japanese voice artist: Ken'ichi Ogata
Kosaku Ohmura (大村耕作, Ōmura Kōsaku): Executive officer, killed on a suicide mission aboard the auxiliary space battleship Shinano against the SUS mothership
Japanese voice artist: Chafurin)
Ryo Kamijo (上条了, Kamijō Ryō): Battle chief
Japanese voice artist: Kentarō Itō
Maho Orihara (折原真帆, Orihara Maho): Chief Navigator and in-charge of the Yamato's onboard computer
Japanese voice artist: Ryōka Yuzuki
Miharu Sasaki (佐々木美晴, Sasaki Miharu): Ship's doctor who prefers flying a Cosmo Pulsar.
Japanese voice artist: Fuyuka Ōura
Jun Kobayashi (小林淳, Kobayashi Jun): Chief Pilot. Spends most of his time trying to impress Miharu-sensei.
Japanese voice artist: Daisuke Namikawa
Yoichi Sakurai (桜井洋一, Sakurai Yōichi): Radar Operator
Japanese voice artist: Kenji Nojima
Ryohei Nakanishi (中西良平, Nakanishi Ryōhei): Communications Officer
Japanese voice artist: Kappei Yamaguchi
Saburo Kinoshita (木下三郎, Kinoshita Saburō): Science Officer
Japanese voice artist: Kōsuke Toriumi
Minoru Goda (郷田実, Gōda Minoru): Chief Gunner
Japanese voice artist: Akimitsu Takase
So Tenma (天馬走, Tenma Sō): Engineering Maintenance
Sho Tenma (天馬翔, Tenma Shō): Engineering Maintenance
Japanese voice artist: Daisuke Sakaguchi
Master Chief Petty Officer Isami Enomoto (榎本勇, Enomoto Isami) (v.a. Keiji Fujiwara): Boatswain.
Lieutenant Kaoru Niimi (新見薫, Niimi Kaoru) (v.a. Aya Hisakawa): Technology Department, Information Chief
Ensign Akira Yamamoto (山本玲, Yamamoto Akira) (v.a. Rie Tanaka): Assigned to Accounting, but she desires to be a pilot.
Makoto Harada (原田真琴, Harada Makoto) (v.a. Rina Satō): Civilian Health Officer.
Warrant Officer Yuria Misaki (岬百合亜, Misaki Yuria) (v.a. Aya Uchida): Operations Specialist Cadet. Born with minor psychic abilities. She sensed something special in the Yamato's automatic navigation system. Drawn to investigating the central core, she allowed within her the consciousness of Yurisha Iskandar. Yurisha's body was being transported home in cold sleep because Yurisha had been put into a coma as a result of a traffic accident on Earth. When necessary, Yurisha's personality dominates, then allows Yuria to resurface. The two personalities can be distinguished both by behavior and by hair style. Yuria wears her hear bound in twin pig-tails, Yurisha wears her hair loose. The association proves to be anywhere from useful to life-saving starting from episode 14.
Second Lieutenant Hiroki Shinohara (篠原弘樹, Shinohara Hiroki) (v.a. Daisuke Hirakawa): Pilot of a Cosmo Falcon, he flies a captured Gamilus interceptor into the heart of the gathering at the base at Balun. He is a friend of Akira Yamamoto and names the captured interceptor "sword 3" in favor of Yamamoto's brother who was killed in action.
Lieutenant J.G. Shinya Ito (伊東真也, Itō Shinya) (v.a. Toshihiko Seki): Security Chief
Warrant Officer Toru Hoshina (星名透, Hoshina Tōru) (v.a. Motoki Takagi): Security Officer.
Petty Officer 1st Class Miki Saijo (西条未来) (v.a. Satomi Moriya): Radar operator who occasionally fills in for Yuki Mori.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Shinpei Iwata (岩田新平, Iwata Shinpei) (v.a. Kōki Harasawa): Third Deck operator
Leading Seaman Kiyoshi Toyama (遠山清, Tōyama Kiyoshi) (v.a. Koji Yusa): Third Deck operator
Starsha (スターシャ, Sutāsha): queen of the dying planet Iscandar, and one of its last survivors, Starsha reaches out to the endangered people of Earth in the first season, offering a device called Cosmo-Cleaner-D (Cosmo-DNA in Star Blazers), which would cleanse the planet of deadly radiation. She sends her sister Sasha to the Solar System bearing this message, together with plans for a faster-than-light space drive. However, when the Yamato arrives, she confesses that she had actually possessed the means to send the device to Earth, but had wanted to test humanity's worthiness to survive, an action she regrets. Though willing to help Earth, she chooses to remain on her homeworld and face its ultimate fate with dignity. She has also rescued and healed Mamoru Kodai, who chooses to remain with her. In Yamato: The New Journey she sends her husband and child (also named Sasha) away from Iscandar before detonating the planet's doomsday bomb in order to defeat the plans of the Black Nebula and prevent Desler from sacrificing himself. Her spirit appears to her daughter in Be Forever, Yamato. She and Sasha are nearly identical in appearance to Yuki (albeit longer-haired), though this is a coincidence. The character of Starsha does not appear in the 2010 live-action film, but Miyuki Ueda does the voice of the spiritual embodiment of Iscandar.
Japanese voice artist: Michiko Hirai (season 1), Miyuki Ueda (New Voyage and Be Forever), Kikuko Inoue (2199)
American voice artist: Lydia Leeds
Sasha (サーシャ, Sāsha) (Astra): Starsha's identical sister, also of royal blood. Sasha travels to the Solar System to deliver Starsha's message to Earth, but her ship is shot down and crashes on Mars. After leaving her escape pod she suffocates in the Martian atmosphere before being found by Kodai and Shima.
Teresa (テレサ, Teresa) (Trelaina): a telepathic young woman living on the planet Telezart in a hovering palace, who has mastered anti-matter (according to the English dub) and whose prayers generate a powerful energy. She watched her world, an interstellar hub, degenerate into all-out war, but prayed so fervently that she destroyed all life forms. When the Comet Empire threatens our Galaxy, she sends messages to Earth attempting to warn them of the danger, bringing the Yamato to her world; during the Earth ship's journey she falls in love with Shima over radio. However, though she refuses to leave her world and become a part of Earth, her love for Shima overcomes her pacifism and she uses her psionic power to transform Telezart into pure energy and detonates it directly in the path of the Comet Empire in an attempt to destroy it. While the Comet Empire's plasma shield keeps them from being destroyed, Teresa's efforts blow it off its flight path and causes it heavy damage, enabling the Yamato to arrive in the Milky Way ahead of it. She survives in her spacecraft and travels to the Solar System, where she discovers Shima's corpse floating in space and resuscitates him using her own blood. With her last remaining power, she then destroys Zwordar's dreadnaught and saves Earth from destruction. What becomes of her after this is unclear. While some fans believe Teresa sacrificed her life to destroy Zwordar, others believe she is still alive somewhere in the universe, given that she easily survived the destruction of Telezart. In the alternate version of the story told in the movie Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato, Teresa plays a similar role, but she is composed entirely of anti-matter (and naked), and does not fall in love with Shima. Moreover, at the end of the movie she does not destroy Zwordar's ship, but instead her spirit urges Kodai to do so using the Yamato.
Japanese voice artist: Mari Okamoto (Miyuki Ueda in Arrivederci, Yamato)
American voice artist: Lydia Leeds
Princess Luda (ルダ王女, Ruda Ōjo) (Mariposa)
Japanese voice artist: Keiko Han
American voice artist: Corinne Orr
Lord Desslar: See below.
The Gamilans are a race of humanoids from the planet Gamilus in the Large Magellanic Cloud, 148,000 light years from Earth. They are biologically indistinguishable from humans aside from their blue skin (although, owing to early series production decisions, they were given human-coloured skin for the first ten episodes of the original series). Many of those who appear in the series are named after high-ranking members of the Nazi party. Gamilan civilians seldom appear in the original series implying that it is a highly militarised society, and the few female Gamilans who appear in the series are invariably concubines. In the remake, the Gamilan society is shown with more detail and some females are featured as part of the military as well.
In the 2010 live-action film, the Gamilans are depicted as a more alien-like race with a hive mind.
Leader (Lord) Deslar (デスラー 総統, Desurā Sōtō) (Leader Desslok): leader of the militant people of the dying planet Gamilus, Deslar intends to wipe out the human "barbarians" and migrate his people to Earth. Initially contemptuous of humanity and its struggles to survive, he comes to respect the Yamato as it surpasses endless trials on its journey to Iscandar. He even attempts to use his dying, volcanically active planet as a weapon against the Earth ship, but the ensuing battle results in the near-total destruction of his civilisation, and he swears revenge. Apparently killed at the end of the first season when his own Deslar cannon backfires and destroys his flagship, he re-emerges in the second season having been resuscitated by the advanced medicine of the Comet Empire. Emperor Zordar grants him the chance to destroy the Yamato, but ultimately he comes to realise that his desire for revenge has made him no better than the Comet Empire, who live solely for conquest; it is Yuki's attempt to protect a wounded Kodai that convinces him that humans are capable of the same love he feels for his people, and he withdraws from battle, aiming to rebuild his civilisation (which becomes known as the Galman-Gamilus Empire). Before departing, in the Comet Empire series, he shares an important detail about a potential weakness in the White Comet fortress.
Although initially an enemy to Earth, he informs Earth Defense Force of the dire situation planet Iscandar was in when he returned to Gamilus to find the Black Nebula Force mining for resources to fuel their warmachine. He later becomes an ally of the
Yamato when Iscandar was plunged into deep space after Gamilus exploded, and the Black Nebula forces pursued the planet and threatened Starsha. Working together with the crew of Yamato, his bitterness lifted and he acclaimed his love for Starsha. Starsha however sacrifices herself and her planet to stop the giant Black Nebulan battle fortress sent to secure the planet's resources for war purposes. Because of her sacrifice, Deslar had a renewed sensation of love and peace which he had never realized was inside his heart. He departs at the end of the battle on good terms with Earth and Yamato.
A couple of years after the destruction of Gamilus, Deslar wanders the Milky Way Galaxy, and finds his ancestral home planet Galmania which is occupied by the Bolar Federation. He quickly mounts a counter-attack to free his people, and in doing so proclaims himself as the new Emperor, set on ridding the galaxy of the cruel Bolars. However, because of his quick quest to secure the entire Milky Way Galaxy, his officers become war-mongerers who would use planet-destroying hyperion missiles to eliminate any enemy or resistance. One such missile had gone astray and struck Earth's Sun causing accelerated nuclear fusion to the point that the Sun was to explode in less than a year. In response to Earth's dire situation, and unaware that Deslar's empire is responsible for it, Yamato was sent to search for a new planet suitable for human habitation. The Yamato was attacked by Galman forces when they intervened in a conflict in a neighboring system, Berth. Because of the intervention, Galman officers and generals made it a top priority to destroy or capture the ship. Yamato was trapped inside the hangar of a mobile super fortress of the Galman Eastern Task Force fortress, and taken to be presented to Deslar. Upon presentation, Deslar flew into a rage at his generals' failure to obey his order to stay far from Earth's solar system, and apologized to the crew of Yamato. He then learned that his empire was the cause of Earth's plight. He offered to help Earth by dispatching a fleet of the empire's best scientists to restore the proper nuclear fusion to the Sun. This however proved to be futile, and the Sun worsened from their manipulation. Out of scientific ideas, he provides coordinates to a planet like Earth called Phantom. Phantom however turned out to be a unsuitable planet, as it was a living organism able to telepathically camouflage itself as a planet to protect Queen Mariposa from the Bolars. Upon Yamato's discovery of this fact, Queen Mariposa is escorted and protected by the crew of Yamato to her home planet, Guardiana, where she offers the Hydro-Cosmogen cannon to correct the Sun's erratic nuclear fusion. Deslar, following Yamato, learns of the Queen's home planet, and decides to peacefully add planet Guardiana to his empire so as to sway the all people of the galaxy (Galman and Bolar) towards peace as her people's culture are pacifists and peace-talkers. Stability and peace is spread throughout the Milky Way Galaxy.
It is, however, not until the film, Final Yamato, when the people of Dinguil try to conquer Earth by using Aquarius to bring massive floods, that Deslar performs one last act of assistance for Earth. The Denguilan fleet surrounds the Yamato which, having been converted into an H-bomb to block the column of water hurling towards Earth, was unable to fight. Deslar launches a surprise attack on the fleet, and destroys its capitol ship using his Deslar cannon. The attack comes as a surprise to the Yamato's crew as well, as they had assumed that Deslar had been killed when Galmania had collided with another planet earlier in the film. In the last scene, when Yamato detonates to stop the 10-trillion-ton water column from hitting Earth, Deslar is seen atop his ship silently watching the Yamato settle in an ocean in space.
For the live-action film, Deslar has no physical form; instead, he appears as one or more multiple crystals and initially possesses Hajime Saito's body to tell the
Yamato crew the true motive of his race's attack on Earth.
His Japanese name is believed to come from Nazi Germany's Adolf Hitler, and Deslar's title
Sōtō (総統) is the Japanese translation of
führer. Leiji Matsumoto has claimed this similarity is in fact a coincidence, and that Deslar comes from "Death-Ra" (also written as デスラー in Japanese).
Japanese voice artist: Masato Ibu (Season 1), Kouichi Yamadera (2199)
American voice artist: Eddie Allen (seasons 1 & 2)
Vice Leader Hiss (副総統ヒス, Fukusousaitou Hisu)/General Hiss (ヒス将軍, Hisu Shougun) (General Krypt): Deslar's toadying right-hand man, Hiss tries his best to please his leader, apologizing for every embarrassing mistake and passing his anger on to his underlings. However, during the climactic battle on Gamilas he implores Deslar to make peace with the humans, earning him a bullet in the chest (not shown in Star Blazers, in its place is a reuse of dialogue footage between Deslar and Hiss where Desslock now merely reprimands Krypt for engaging in defeatist talk). In the first ten episodes, Hiss has the title of Vice Leader (副総統). With episode eleven, his title changes to General (将軍).
Japanese voice artist: Keisuke Yamashita (Season 1), Yousuke Akimoto (2199)
Commanders Shultz (シュルツ, Shurutsu) and Ganz (ガンツ, Gantsu) (Colonel Ganz and Major Bane): the leaders of the Gamilons' frontline base on Pluto, Shultz and Gantz are among the first to encounter the dangerous new Earth ship Yamato. However, even armed with a powerful weapon, the Reflection Satellite Cannon (Reflex Gun in Star Blazers), the bumbling duo are unable to stop the Earth ship and are forced to abandon their base. Recognising that they can never return home in disgrace, Shultz orders the entire fleet to launch an all-out attack on the Yamato, but they are destroyed; Shultz's command ship attempts a kamikaze run (though in Star Blazers this was toned down to an accidental near-collision) before being deflected into an asteroid.
Japanese voice artists: Takeshi Obayashi (Shultz) and Kenichi Ogata (Gantz); Yu Shimaka (Shultz) and Chō (Gantz) (2199)
General Talan (タラン, Taran) (General Talan / Sergeant Masterson): one of Deslar's most loyal generals, Talan appears only twice in the first season; however, in the second season he has a more significant presence, as commander of the scattered remnants of the Gamilon empire. He is more level-headed than his leader and is able to convince Deslar to abandon his flagship when all is lost. He is also an extremely skillful pilot, rescuing Deslar from the Comet Empire's pursuing ships. He was mistakenly renamed "Sgt. Masterson" in season 3 of Star Blazers.
Japanese voice artist: Kōji Yada
General Domel (ドメル, Domeru Shougun) (General Lysis): a famed general with many victories under his belt, and a powerful physique to match his ego, Domel is put in charge of the campaign against Earth and offers to destroy the Yamato in his leader's name. However, despite using both outright force and psychological warfare, he too is defeated in battle time and again, culminating in a scheme to destroy the Earth ship on planet Balan which succeeds only in the destruction of the Gamilon base there. Offered one last battle for honour, he challenges the Yamato to meet him at the Rainbow Cluster; so meticulous is his planning that he very nearly succeeds, and it is only quick thinking (and luck) on the part of the Yamato crew that destroys his fleet. He then attaches his command ship to the underside of the Yamato and self-destructs in a vain attempt to complete his mission (though in Star Blazers it was indicated he planted a bomb on the Argo's underside and detached. This was followed by a reuse of dialogue footage between Lysis and Vulgar now indicating that because the bomb's blast didn't destroy the Argo they were returning to Gamilon in disgrace). He is credited with the invention of a device called the Instant Matter Transporter (Space Matter Instant Transforming Equipment, or SMITE, in Star Blazers), capable of teleporting whole battle fleets into the vicinity of an enemy vessel, which is used later by Deslar himself.
Japanese voice artist: Osamu Kobayashi (Season 1), Akio Ohtsuka (2199)
Göru (ゲール, Gēru) (Volgar/Vulgar): one-time commander of the Gamilons' waypoint base on planet Balan, he reacts to his replacement by Domel angrily, getting drunk and trashing his decadently decorated room (this scene was cut from Star Blazers). Desperate to prove himself to Deslar, he attempts to fight the Yamato on his own terms, but is defeated resoundingly; he also informs Deslr of Domel's plan to sacrifice the base in an attempt to destroy the Yamato, leading to a critical delay which enables the Earth ship to escape. However, he comes to admire Domel's loyalty to the Gamilon cause, and assists him in his battle for honour.
Japanese voice artist: Osamu Saka (Season 1), Masashi Hirose (2199)
American voice artist: Mike Czechopoulos
Captains Getto (ゲットー, Gettō), Berger (バーガー, Bāgā), Kreuz (クロイツ, Kuroitsu) and Heidern (ハイデルン, Haiderun): captains who serve under Domel in the battle at the Rainbow Cluster, having earned great acclaim at, respectively, the Ruby, Sapphire, Diamond and Omega war fronts. The first three command space carriers and their respective fighter, dive-bomber, and torpedo plane air groups, while the last commands a battle carrier launching a single heavy bomber which carries a drill missile designed by Domel. All four captains fly into battle themselves alongside their men, though Kreuz is not shown (due to an oversight by the animators).
Japanese voice artists: Kōji Yada (Heidern), Takeshi Aono (Berger), Ichirō Nagai (Getto), Isao Sakuma (Kreuz)
Vandevere (バンデビル, Bandebiru) (Garrat): commander of a Gamilon battle carrier in season 2, he sends a fleet of dive-bombers to attack the Yamato when it is paralysed by a swarm of corrosive bacteria. However, before he can destroy the Earth ship, his own vessel is similarly rendered powerless, and he is forced to retreat in disgrace. His humiliation earns him a bullet from Deslar (not shown in Star Blazers).
Japanese voice artist: Hidekatsu Shibata
Generals Barreled Action (バレルド・アクション, Barerudo Akushon), Sea Frage (シー・フラーゲ, Shī Furāge), Das Lugens (ダス・ルーゲンス, Dasu Rūgensu), Meiser Nomdrum (マイセル・ノムドラム, Maiseru Nomudoramu): Deslar's remaining generals in Season 2.
Japanese voice artists: Eken Mine (Action), Yoshito Yasuhara (Frage), Kazuo Hayashi (Lugens), Kenichi Ogata (Meiser)
Geidel (ガイデル, Gaideru) (Smeerdom) (v.a. Hidekatsu Shibata): Eastern District Army Commander.
Dagon (ダゴン, Dagon) (v.a. Mugihito): A very skilled Galman fleet commander.
Histenberger (ヒステンバーガー, Hisutenbāgā) (Smellen) (v.a. Mikio Terashima)
Keeling (キーリング, Kīringu) (v.a. Yoshito Miyamura): Imperial Army Chief of Staff
Fraken (フラーケン, Furāken) (Luchner Von Ferrell) (v.a. Tamio Ōki). The Galman Empire's top submarine commander, nicknamed "The Galman Wolf".
Helmeyer (ヘルマイヤー, Herumaiyā) (Nayzmayo) (v.a. Masaru Ikeda)
Gustav (グスタフ, Gusutafu) (v.a. Eiji Kanie)
Frauski (フラウスキー, Furausukī) (Cranshaw) (v.a. Shojiro Kihara): Technology Major Cranshaw is one of the more likable Galmans. He is scholarly and reserved. He is commissioned by Deslar to find a way to restore the normal conditions of Earth's Sun. Failing in this, he cannot return to Deslar honorably, and so crashes his ship into the Sun.
Heigel (ハイゲル, Haigeru) (v.a. Shingo Kanemoto)
Gehlen (ゲーレン, Gēren) (v.a. Hajime Koseki)
Abelt Deslar (Kouichi Yamadera)
Miezela Celestella (Minori Chihara): Last survivor of the Jirel race, and Deslar's minister of propaganda. She is fiercely loyal to him.
Melda Deitz (Shizuka Itou): A Gamilas fighter pilot who is held in custody aboard the Yamato for a short time; to the crew's dismay, she reveals that Earth drew first blood in the conflict. After a period of animosity, she befriends Akira Yamamoto. She is later released and returns to the homeworld to take part in an uprising.
Eruc Dommel (Akio Otsuka)
Wolf Frakken (Nakata Jouji): Captain of the extra-dimensional submarine UX-01. A skilled hunter and a loose cannon, he stalks the Yamato extensively even after it detects and damages his ship.
Zoellick Helm (Norio Wakamoto): Inspector-General of the Gamilas Central Army, who plots to assassinate Deslar and take control of the Empire.
Saleluya Laleta (Hiro Yuuki): Commander of the Gamilas base on the floating continent above Jupiter; dies when the Yamato destroys the continent during a test of the Wave Motion Gun.
Valus Lang (Tooru Ookawa): The commander of a Gamilas ship that was lost in the fourth dimension.
Paren Nerge (Takashi Onozuka): An Imperial Guard officer who is posted to Valus Lang's ship.
Redof Hiss (Yousuke Akimoto)
Hilde Shultz (Ayano Miura): Brigadier Valke Shultz's daughter. A second-class Gamilan, she is a servant girl in Deslar's palace.
Valke Shultz (Yu Shimaka)
Guelf Ganz (Chō)
Ghader Talan (Koutarou Nakamura): Vice Chief of General Staff and brother of Velte Talan, the head of weapons research.
Mirenel Linke (Akemi Okamura): Along with Celestella, a survivor of the telepathic Jirels until her consciousness is destroyed in an attempt to stop the Yamato.
Liber Droppe (Akira Harada)
Hydom Gimray (Junpei Morita): Information officer of the Imperial Guard.
Gull Deitz (Katsunosuke Hori): Supreme Commander of Astrofleets, and Melda's father.
The people of the White Comet Empire Gatlantis (白色彗星帝国ガトランティス Hakushoku Suisei Teikoku Gatorantisu) appear in the second season; like the Gamilons they are identical to humans aside from their green skin.
Emperor Zwordar the Great (ズォーダー 大帝, Zwōdā taitei) (Prince Zordar): Zwordar V of Gatlantis. the undisputed leader of the Comet Empire, Zwordar's sole aim in life is to conquer and subjugate the Universe. To this aim, he travels space in an enormous city-planet, Gatlantis, surrounded by a powerful plasma shield which resembles a gigantic comet, capable of annihilating planets in its path, and launching fleets of warships to conquer any useful worlds—or destroy them if they resist. Having subjugated the entire Andromeda Galaxy, his next target is Earth. Frustrated time and again by the incompetence of his minions—and interference from the mysterious Teresa of Telezart—he takes matters into his own hands at the end of the second season, launching a massive dreadnaught from the shattered remains of Gatlantis with the intent of destroying all life on Earth. His Japanese name is based on the word "sword".
Japanese voice artist: Osamu Kobayashi
Italian Voice Artist: Ivano Staccioli
Lady Sabera (サーベラ, Sābera) (Princess Invidia): Zwordar's mistress (his daughter in Star Blazers), though unlike other citizens of the Comet Empire she has pink skin. She has great ambition and is jealous of the favor Desler has in Zwordar's eyes; In which she works on plotting against him and Zwordar to keep her place in the empire. It is her treachery that ruins the Gamilon leader's plan to destroy the Yamato and the main reason the Comet Empire falls. In turn the Emperor never forgives her, in the Japanese version he leaves her behind in the destruction with Goenitz and Razela, while in the English version he only threatens to leave them behind.
Japanese voice artists: Noriko Ohara (Kazue Komiya in Arrivederci, Yamato)
American voice artist: Morgan Lofting, Melanie McQueen (Farewell Yamato: Voyager Entertainment Dub)
Goenitz (ゲーニッツ, Gēnittsu) (General Dyre) and Razela (ラーゼラー, Rāzerā) (General Gorse): members of Zwordar's court and co-conspirators with Sabera to destroy Desler's reputation, a plan which earns their Emperor's anger. When their plans enable the Yamato crew to cripple Gatlantis, Zwordar abandons them to destruction aboard the doomed space station (not shown in Star Blazers).
Japanese voice artists: Ichiro Murakoshi and Kazuyuki Sogabe
Miru (ミル) (Morta): a political commissar placed aboard Desler's flagship, he reports to Sabera and her conspirators.
Japanese voice artist: Osamu Ichikawa
Admiral Cosmodart Nazca (コズモダード・ナスカ, Kozumodāto Nasuka) (General Naska): young leader of the Comet Empire's vanguard force to conquer the Solar System; initially scornful of the aging Earth ship Yamato, when defeated he begs Desler for help, only to be turned away. Likely named after the Nazca Lines.
Japanese voice artist: Hiroya Ishimaru
Admiral Goland (ゴーランド, Gōrando) (General Torbuck): sadistic leader of the Comet Empire's missile fleet and famous hunter of dinosaurs. Despite being placed under Desler's command at Telezart, he violates orders and engages the Yamato head-on, but his arrogance leaves him at the mercy of the Earth ship's wave motion gun.
Japanese voice artist: Shōzō Iizuka (Osamu Saka in Arrivederci, Yamato)
General Zurvival (ザバイバル, Zabaibaru) (General Scorch): scar-faced commander of a tank contingent stationed on planet Telezart to meet the Yamato, he faces Saito's space marines in intense ground combat. Fighting to the last man, he is killed in a pistol fight with Saito himself (toned down to simply being knocked out in Star Blazers). His Japanese name is based on the word "survival".
Japanese voice artist: Kosei Tomita
Mazor (メーザー, Mēzā): a pilot captured by the Yamato, he refuses to answer questions—even under torture—but loosens up when Dr. Sado introduces him to sake. However, it is but a ruse to enable him to escape and return to his fleet, but they spurn him as a former captive. Such is his loyalty to the Comet Empire that he makes a kamikaze run into the Yamato, killing himself, rather than join the Earth crew.
Japanese voice artist: Ikuo Nishikawa
Destar (デスタール, Desutāru): a sub-commander in Goland's missile fleet, he refuses to allow the former captive Mazor to return and orders him to his death. This provokes a deadly attack from the Yamato which destroys him and his ships.
Japanese voice artist: Masaru Ikeda
Gern (ゲルン, Gerun) (General Manic): commander of the Comet Empire's carrier fleet. In the final assault on the Solar System he is stationed too far away from Valsey's battle fleet and is caught unawares by a full-scale attack by Earth fighter-bomber squadrons; unable to devise a strategy to resist the assault, he commits suicide in shame shortly before his ship explodes (the act of suicide is not shown in Star Blazers).
Admiral Valsey (バルゼー, Baruzē) (General Bleak): in charge of the Comet Empire's main warfleet, stationed at Procyon and Sirius and thus missed by the Yamato during its journey to planet Telezart. As Gatlantis approaches our Galaxy, Valsey's fleet begins its advance on the Solar System, routing Earth's defences and very nearly driving home the invasion thanks to the main weapon of Valsey's flagship, the Flame Direct-hit Gun ("Magma-Flame Gun" in Star Blazers), a wave motion gun which fires into a teleportation field. However, Hijikata leads them into the rings of Saturn, where the weapon proves to be a liability, and Valsey and his fleet are destroyed.
Japanese voice artist: Chikao Ohtsuka
The people of the Dark Star Cluster Empire (暗黒星団帝国 Ankoku Seidan Teikoku) live on the metal planet Dezarium in the Dark Star Cluster, a double-galaxy 200,000 light years from Earth. Although humanoid, they are in fact bionic, having given up the pleasures of human flesh in exchange for longevity. They appear in the movies Yamato: The New Voyage and Be Forever, Yamato.
Deider (デーダー, Dēdā): commander of the flagship Pleiades. When the Gamilas fleet attacks the Black Nebula forces mining their homeworld and cause the planet's destruction, Deider in turn attacks them and pins them down in the seas of Iscandar. When the Yamato attacks, he attempts to position his ship between the Earth vessel and Iscandar to discourage use of the Wave Motion Gun, but is destroyed when Iscandar moves to safety due to volcanic eruptions.
Japanese voice artist: Kōsei Tomita
Mölders (メルダーズ, Merudāzu): supreme commander of the Black Nebula Empire's forces in the Large Magellanic Cloud, leading from his massive space fortress, the Autostar Goruba, which fights off both the Yamato and Desler's fleet.
Japanese voice artist: Kōji Nakata
2nd Lt. Alphon (アルフォン少尉, Arufon shōi): an intelligence and technology officer in the Dark Star Cluster Empire's invasion of Earth, he gains his own quarters on the conquered planet, and saves the life of a wounded Yuki, with whom he falls in love. When she proves unable to return his affections, he releases her to join a human resistance movement, and vows that if she defeats him next time they meet, he will help her to stop the invasion. In fact he is mortally wounded by another soldier, but he dies in Yuki's arms, confessing to her that life has been empty and meaningless for his people since their conversion to bionics.
Japanese voice artist: Nachi Nozawa
Great Emperor Skulldart (聖総統スカルダート, Seisōtō Sukarudāto): Leader of the Dark Star Cluster Empire.
Japanese voice artist: Tōru Ōhira, Banjō Ginga (PS2 games)
Sada (サーダ, Sāda)
Japanese voice artist: Yumi Nakatani
Kazan (カザン, Kazan)
Japanese voice artist: Mugihito
Commodore Grotus (グロータス准将, Gurōtasu junshō): Commander of the Gorba fleet.
Japanese voice artist: Banjō Ginga
The people of the Bolar Federation appear in the third season.
Bemlayzé (ベムラーゼ, Bemurāze) (v.a. Junpei Takiguchi): Prime Minister of the Bolar Federation.
Gorsakov (ゴルサコフ, Gorusakofu) (v.a. Tesshō Genda)
Balcom (バルコム, Barukomu) (v.a. Shōzō Iizuka)
Harkins (ハーキンス, Hākinsu) (v.a. Masaru Tanaka)
Governor-General Borroughs (ボローズ, Borōzu) (v.a. Masaru Ikeda)
Levars (レバルス, Rebarusu) (v.a. Tomomichi Nishimura)
Ram (ラム, Ramu) (v.a. Akira Kimura)
The people of the planet Dingir, who appear in the movie Final Yamato, are descendants of Sumerians rescued from Earth by unknown aliens (whom they now regard as gods) during The Great Flood 10,000 years ago. They developed an advanced empire (as well as grey skin) on their new homeworld they named Dingir and have become extremely arrogant and militant. Most of them were wiped out when their homeworld was flooded by the planet Aquarius.
Lugal (ルガール大神官大総統, Rugāru Daishinkan Daisōtō): supreme leader of the Dingirians, he escapes his drowning homeworld aboard the enormous space station Uruk. He is impassive when told his wife and younger son perished, believing that only the strong should survive, and decides that Earth should become the new home of his people, planning to use Aquarius to flood it. Spurning the very idea of "charity", he sets about exterminating the human race, ensuring it cannot even leave Earth before flooding. He kills his own elder son when the latter fails to destroy the Yamato, shows no concern when he accidentally shoots his younger son, and self-destructs Uruk—killing all living within its city—when its purpose has been served. He is also seen to ride into battle (aboard a mechanical horse) alongside his troops. The word Lugal is Sumerian for "king".
Japanese voice artist: Taro Ishida
Lugal de Zahl (ルガール・ド・ザール, Rugāru Do Zāru): elder son of the Dingirian leader, a young military commander who shows no mercy to his enemies, and has no qualms about firing on unarmed civilian transports, or even rescue ships tending to the wounded. However, when defeated by the Yamato (as well as a fleet of Earth warships) he is humiliated before his father, and becomes ever more determined to destroy the Earth ship, but when the rest of his fleet is destroyed, he turns tail and flees the battlefield, only to crash into the Neutrino Beam Shield of Uruk.
Japanese voice artist: Masane Tsukayama
Dingir Boy (ディンギルの少年, Dingiru no Shōnen): the younger son of the Dingirian leader, and the only survivor of the drowned homeworld rescued by the Yamato crew. He stows away aboard the Earth ship when it sets off to fight deZahl's fleet, hoping to learn more about humanity. He learns the alien concept of self-sacrifice when he sees another warship take a deadly missile hit for the Yamato; he is so impressed that he jumps in front of Kodai and is shot by his own father. His real name is never given and is just called Bōya.
Japanese voice artist: Kazue Ikura
Great Urup United Star Systems (大ウルップ星間国家連合軍 Dai Uruppu Seikan Kokka Renpō Gun)
The Spacemen United Systems (異星人連合 Iseijin Rengō) are the antagonists in Space Battleship Yamato: Resurrection.
Admiral Metzler (メッツラー提督, Mettsuraa Teitoku) (va Hiroshi Yanaka)
Metzler is at the head of the SUS, which is technically the leader of the Interstellar Alliance. He systematically deceived all members of the Interstellar Alliance into thinking the Earth is into invading their territories. One member sees through his deception, and, with help from members, the Yamato found a way to defeat the SUS. He later appears to the crew of Yamato as an interdimensional being.
Admiral Barthman (バルスマン総司令官, Barusuman Sōshireikan) (va Shōzō Iizuka)
アマール星 (Amaaru-sei)
Queen Iliya (イリヤ女王, Iriya Joō) (va Atsuko Tanaka)
Queen Iliya is the reigning monarch of the planet Amar, the planet that gave the fleeing citizens of Earth refuge. They were caught in double jeopardy since they are a member of the Interstellar Alliance, but only because of the protection the Interstellar Alliance offers in exchange for resources only available on their planet. Inspired by the Yamato, they declared themselves independent, triggering a war against the SUS-led Interstellar Alliance.
Admiral Pascal (パスカル将軍, Pasukaru Shōgun) (va Kazuhiko Inoue)
Admiral Pascal is the leader of Amar's space naval forces. After advising Captain Kodai and the Yamato to leave in order to avoid angering the Interstellar Alliance under the SUS, he was inspired to support Queen Iliya and the Yamato in open revolt against them.
エトス星 (Etos)
Admiral Gorui (ゴルイ将軍, Gorui Shōgun) (va Masatō Ibu)
Admiral Gorui is the leader of the space naval forces of the planet Ethos, a member of the Interstellar Alliance. Seeing the senseless massacre of the First and Second Earth Emigration Fleets on orders of the SUS, he began to doubt the motives of Metzler. His suspicions are confirmed during his first encounter with Captain Kodai and the Yamato, and, despite threats of wiping out the entire planet Ethos, helped them and the kingdom of the planet Amarl in open revolt against the SUS. He used his flagship in a kamikaze attack on Metzler's own flagship in an attempt to kill him.
Seagull Captain (シーガル艦長, Shiigaru Kanchō) (va Takehito Koyasu)
He is captain of Gorui's flagship.
